Red

Savoury, minerally flavours from old vine Garnacha and Cariñena are complemented by the smokiness and backbone of the Syrah and Cabernet. A month’s contact with French Oak staves adds a touch of vanilla and complexity.

The Charge red is made from grapes from all over the Rioja region – 75% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha. Aromas of berries and warm spices which leads to a palate with beautifully complex dark and spicy fruit and refreshing acidity, balanced by fine vanilla flavours from oak maturation, as well as hints of coffee.

Purple-red robe. A very expressive nose that opens with notes of chocolate and spice, followed by citrus fruit and white flower aromas. There are also hints of pure fruit, reminiscent of freshly-picked, crushed grapes. On the palate this is a clean and lively wine with subtle notes of small red berries and scrubland herbs. The tannins are elegant, discreet and well-integrated. The balance and originality of this wine gives it its “cuvée rare” status.

Terroir

Clay limestone and blood-red “ruffes” soil typically found in the Terrasses du Larzac.

This wine has a ruby-red colour with purple tints, a fruity, fragrant bouquet with hints of wild berries and a fresh, delicate taste.

Moncaro.

Moncaro observes a single overarching philosophy for its three wine-production sites: the belief that the highest work standards and uncompromised environmental stewardship will lead to the production of high-quality wines. Twenty years’ experience in organic farming has enabled us to bring all of our vineyards under the philosophy of supervised-control viniculture and environmentally friendly practices, with rigorous attention to achieving perfect growth and crop balance in the vines. The highest work standards in the cellar and the most advanced technologies have as their objective the creation of conditions that, at all times, yield very fine wines, which are expression of their local terroir and which preserve the varietal characteristics of the grapes.IN THE VINEYARD

research in vine growing and cultivation methods which safeguard the environment

Vineyard management practices

Classification of the vineyards, according to their soil profiles and microclimate (elevation, aspect, weather), to determine suitability to certain grape varieties and crop yield per hectare is fundamental to quality. All vineyard cultivation practices are carefully followed by the technicians that, togetehr with the over decades experience of our members, plan the management of the vine rows. Integrated pest management and sustainable viticulture are practiced for disease control. Careful winter and summer pruning ensures balanced vine growth. Excessive fruit production is managed by cluster thinning. Multiple-pass harvesting is practiced in order to gather each cluster its optimal ripeness. Decades-long familiarity with our vineyards and with their various grape varieties, as well as constant monitoring of seasonal weather conditions, allow us to plan our vinification methods and schedules before harvesting. All the grapes harvested are graded and coded according to category, sugar level, condition and yield per hectare.

Sustainable agriculture, low environmental impact & organic farming

Moncaro has begun converting to organic agriculture since 1980. Today more than 60 hectares (ca. 150 acres) are farmed and certified in accordance with IFOAM norms and EU 834/2007 and 889/2008 organic farming regulations. Furthermore, we have derived valuable experience from over 300 hectares (ca. 740 acres) farmed in accordance with EU regulation 2078 on low-environmental-impact farming, a philosophy aimed at minimising chemical usage. These vineyards are an important testing ground for sustainable viticulture practices adopted by Moncaro, which are now applied to all vineyards. Such an approach is aimed at preventing, rather than simply combating, pest attacks by utilising weather monitoring stations and by maintaining vine health so that the plant is stronger and more resistant. The results, as well as the increasing quality witnessed by all the awards received by our wines, include the return of useful insects and even wild animals to our vineyards. The sight of various species of birds, wild boars, hares and deer, even in the more intensely cultivated vineyards, is becoming more and more common.

IN THE CELLAR

cutting edge technology and methods united with a passion for wine

Moncaro oenologist Giuliano D’Ignazi directs a young and dynamic technical staff, who also benefits from the valuable assistance and collaboration of world-famous consultant Riccardo Cotarella. Thanks to technical joint efforts in the past (with Chile and Australia), Moncaro is open to the best of both wine world, the Old and the New. Among the various practices utilised there are: perfect temperature control, extensive use of gentle pressing with membrane presses, fermentation with varietal and specific yeasts and subsequent sur-lie maturation, low-temperature maceration, reductive fermentation, micro-oxygenation, drying of grapes.

Maturation of the wine is carried out in steel tanks or in oak barrels from three to eighteen months, with the Riservas up to twenty-four months. Bottling is done at the Montecarotto cellar. A state-of-the-art, automated bottling line ensures preservation of all the wine’s sensory characteristics, guaranteeing at the same time sterile conditions and wine stability. The wines are then stored in a climate-controlled warehouse that reproduces the temperatures and humidity of a natural cave. The bottles are protected from light and temperature fluctuations, ensuring ideal bottle-ageing conditions until they are ready for release.

Maison Louis Jadot Monthélie is a very fruity wine developing red fruits and cherries aromas. It is a well structured wine with good tannins. It is quite a powerful yet still very delicate wine. It will be a perfect partner for red meats (roasted, grilled or in sauce) as well as cheeses.

This wine exhibits a lovely mix of red and black berry fruits with further complexity gained from oak spice. These characters are balanced by soft tannins, balanced acidity and a fruit-driven finish.

88 Points Wine Enthusiast.“Some leathery, clove-like notes spice up this solidly built Pinot. Hints of briar add more complexity to the cherry fruit, before some drying tannins take over on the finish. Rather than aging this to mellow the tannins, try it alongside beef or lamb instead.” J.C. (7/1/2015)

Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2013
This wine highlights the slightly cooler season with lovely perfumed dark red forest berries and cherry fruits along with a hint of dried herb, adding complexity. The wine has a sweet berry entry which displays these same characters in abundance. Lovely ripe textural tannins rise gracefully out of the mid-palate to finish the wine. These are balanced by the wine’s acidity and fruit, to produce a long fruit-driven finish.

Mt Difficulty Wines
Established in 1992, Mt Difficulty Wines is home to some of Central Otago’s oldest and most revered vineyards. Situated along Felton Road in the famous sub-region of Bannockburn, Central Otago, this unique area of extremes is ideally suited to crafting wines that speak with a sense of place. “Our philosophy combines ethical viticulture with minimal intervention allowing the wine to express its personality and reflect its home.”

With a brilliant ruby color and a hint of purple this young fruity wine explodes with luscious cherries and raspberries tempered by soft tannins from the small percentage of Mazuelo grapes in the blend.

Named after the grapes in the blend (Negroamaro, Primitivo and Cabernet Sauvignon), this easygoing, savory wine doles out juicy blackberry, black currant, black cherry and a hint of licorice with soft, round tannins.

The wine comes from the very best plots of our friend Pepe Fuster’s stone covered 26 hectare vineyard in Terra Alta in Catalonia, north-eastern Spain. The Garnacha vines are nearly 50 years old and this age gives the wine great concentration an complexity of dark, spicy, blackberry fruit which has been seasoned and enhanced by 10 months in the finest new Dargaud & Jaegle oak barrels from France.

Intense ruby color with garnet reflections. The bouquet is distinguished and vital, with fresh, ripe fruit. The palate is clear and definite, with hints of ripe pulpy fruit, cherry, and notes of chocolate, frame with a long and pleasant finish.

90 Points Antonio Galloni (2012 vintage)

“The 2012 Barbera d’Alba is quite pretty. Bright red cherries, flowers, spices and mint all lift from the glass in a striking, perfumed Barbera long on class and personality. The flavors are precise and finely sculpted throughout.”

The grapes for the Barbera d’Alba come from the family owned vineyards in Serraluga d’Alba (Ornato and Colombaro), in Sinio, Diano d’Alba and Grinzane Cavour, together with other vineyards belonging to historical suppliers who have been selling their grapes to PIO CESARE for generations, working their vineyards according to our directions and strict quality controls. There is 15 days of skin contact in stainless steel temperature-controlled fermenters. The wine is aged for 18 months in French Allier oak, 30 percent in mid-toasted barriques that are half new and half one year old. The remaining 70 percent were aged in 20 to 50 hectoliter casks of Allier oak that are about 8 years old.

A classic Barolo from one of the greatest ever vintages in Piemonte. Excellent structure and harmony, mild tannins and balanced fruit. It is immediately approachable, but it has a very long ageing potential.

95 Points The Wine Advocate

“The 2010 Barolo is a great fall back wine for those who want to know the flavor profile of a classic,well-made Barolo. This is a textbook wine, especially in the exceptional 2010 vintage. Black fruit and prune is folded together with delicate tones of cigar ash, crushed mineral, licorice, white truffle and dried raspberry. The tannins are firm, but polished and the wine leaves a lasting imprint of dark fruit and cola on the elegant finish. Drink: 2016-2028.”

93 Points Antonio Galloni.

“Pio Cesare’s 2010 Barolo is terrific. Dark red cherries, plums, lavender, smoke and savory herbs open up in the glass, followed by hints of orange peel and white pepper that add both lift and a hugely appealing element of exoticism. The firm, incisive tannins are going to need a few years to settle down. There is a lot to like in this classic, old-school leaning Barolo. The 2010 was made from less well-exposed parcels in Ornato, along with parcels in Collareto and Briccolina, both of which are in the same general area of Serralunga, plus dollops of fruit from La Morra and Grinzane Cavour, virtually all of it estate fruit.”

Tasting Note
Aromas of blackberry and raspberry fruit with a touch of fragrant wild flowers, vanilla and spice from its ageing in French oak. The palate reflects the nose with a silky texture, a richness of flavour and good freshness.Gastronomy
Serve at 16-18ºC. Serve with roasted meats such as game or beef.

Vinification
Crushing and total destalking of the grapes. Pre-fermentative maceration at controlled temperature of 15 ºC; Fermentation in stainless steel tanks at 23ºC and maceration for 2 weeks. Before being bottled, the wine ages in new French oak barrels for 12 months.